Radio controlled signal and illuminating system for airways



Sept. 17, 1946. CORCANGES 2,407,949

RADIO CONTROLLED SIGNAL AND ILLUMINATING SYSTEM FOR AIRWAYS Filed Nov. 15, 1943 3 Sheet's-Sheetl J L filfr ed A Carany'es.

all/Wavy 3m l 1946. A. A. CORCANG'ES 2,407,949

RADIO G ONTROLLED SIGNAL AND ILLUMINATING SYSTEM FOR AIRWAYS Filed Nov. 15, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 WINU INDICATOR SWITCH D. C. SUPP! 8WITCH 72 Inventor j/frea fl Carma/2 25* i 72 .2 j 60 a 90 0 Sept. 17, 1946- A. A. coRcANeEs RADIO CONTROLLED SIGNAL AND ILLUMINATING SYSTEM FOR AIRWAYS :s Shee'bs-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 15, 1945 m vw I WWW 5% Patented Sept. 17, 1946 RADIO CONTROLLED SIGNAL AND ILLUMI- NATING SYSTEM FOR AIRWAYS Alfred A. Corcanges, Greenville, S. 0.

Application November 15, 1943, Serial No. 510,386

5 Claims.

This inventionrelates to a system for controlling the operation of the lights on airports, airdromes, runways, runway strips, marker beacons, field boundaries and the like and in general to lighting and signalling systems requiring a switch to be turned on or off.

The main object of the invention consists in providing a control system for automaticall operating the lights of the landing strips or runways of airports, airfields or airdromes by means of radio signals sentor transmitted from an approaching craft carrying a radio transmitter.

A further object of the invention consists in providing a control system for automatically selecting landing strips or runways of an airport or airdromes which are safest for landing with regard to the prevailing direction of the wind and to the direction of the incoming signal and for automatically operating the lights for the illumination' of the selected runway or landing strip, said operation being initiated and carried out from an approaching aircraft by means of radio signals sent out from said craft.

A further object of the invention consists in automatically indicating'the proper direction of landing on the selected runway or landing strip of an airport or airdrome, which is safest with regard to the prevailing direction of the wind by means of specific directive signal lights, operated by the radio signal sent from the approaching aircraft.

A still further object of the invention consists in providinga radio control system for the automatic selection of landing strips or runways of airports or airdromes and for the automatic operation of the illumination and the proper directive signalling lights of the same, which may operate with C. signals, voice or tone signals alike in accordance with the adjustment given to the receiving arrangement, the latter, however, being adjustable as regards the distance from which it may be operated, either directionally or in. all directions.

Further objects of the invention will be apparscribed will be obviousto the expert skilled in this art. These modifications as far as included in the claims, do, therefore, not form a departure from the invention.

Figure. 1 is a diagram for an automatic switch breaker, showing the relative positions and arrangement in general of the elements with wiring connection employed in this system,

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of a landing field with parallel runwaysandlighting controlled according to the present system.

Figure 3 is an elevation and partial section of the wind direction indicator or weather vane, here represented as a so-called wind-stock or sock with a clutch. or freezer.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section along the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the clutch or freezer in Figure 3. V

Figure 6 is ahorizontal section along the line EEi of Figure 3, and

Figure 7 is a plan view of a field having intersecting runways in star-shape arrangement.

Throughout the drawings the same reference numerals indicate the same details.

The system according to my invention is based on a remote control operation exercised by radio signals emitted from an aircraftapproaching an airfield, airport or airdrome which closes the circuits for the lights illuminating one of the landing strips, runways or the like of the said field or port and on double automatic selective operation controlled by a wind indicating instrument, selecting the landing strip or runway which is safest with the prevailing direction of the wind, and selectingthe direction in which the landing should take place on said landing strip or runway.

For the purpose of exercising the remote control the aircraft may use the radio transmitter with which it is usually equipped and which permits, as a rule, to transmit spoken telephonic signals and telegraphic signals, using C. W, or certain definite frequencies. This transmitter equipment may be used without change and it is merely necessary to instruct the pilot or operator of the transmitter as to the nature of the signals desired.

The receiving arrangement is arranged on the ground and is a special arrangement adopted for the specific purposes of the invention. It contains a filter or filters for excluding undesirable frequencies and electronic means for producing an. impulse capable of energizing a time or sequence relay. The latter is able to control the energization of the circuits of the lights for the landing strip illumination and of the directive signal lamps. r

The airfield, airport or airdrome to be used in connection with the system according to this invention comprises a plurality of runways or landing strips pointing in different directions. One of these strips has to be selected automatically upon receipt of a signal and this selection has to be made in accordance with the direction in which the wind is blowing at the time at which a landing is to be made.

As a rule the number of landing strips or runways is limited and each strip is assigned for duty during landings effected in the event that the wind is blowing from one of two sectors opposing each other on the compass dial. Therefore in addition to the selection of the landing strip itself a further selection has to be made as regards the direction in which the landing strip is to be used.

According to the present invention this double selection is carried out by means of a wind sock or wind stock operating a selector switch which completes the circuits of the illumination lights and of directive signal lights on the landing strip which point in a direction nearest to the direction in which the Wind sock or wind stock is pointing and makes them ready for operation. The incoming signal will then operate the lights whose operative circuits have been closed.

In order to avoid confusion the wind sock or wind stock has to be free to rotate the selector switch in any direction as long as no airstrip has been selected. However, once a selection has been made and the illumination and direction lights are on, a further change is prevented by a so-called wind stock freezer which uncouples the switch from the wind stock or arrests the latter and therefore prevents further operation as soon as current is flowing through the illumination and directive light circuits.

It is finally necessary to reopen the illumination and directive signal light circuit after the landing of the craft automatically in order to bring the airfield into condition for further operation by remote control. This result may be obtained in various ways. The circuits may be opened, for instance, by a time relay operating after the elapsing of a certain number of minutes,

and the relay operated by the receiver may be of such type as to perform the operation. A second means consists in a photocell arrangement operated by a beam traversing the landing strip near the ground and intercepted by the landing aircraft. A third means consists in using relays which once energized will fall back upon receipt of a further impulse; In this case the pilot of the craft has to send a further remote control signal, when the illumination of the landing strip serves no further useful purpose, whereby it will cause the opening of the relay operated switch.

An arrangement embodying the above outlined system will now be described in detail.

Figure 1 illustrates the operation of the air strip illumination and of the directive lights thereon by means of radio transmission from an incoming airplane.

The transmitter on the airplane and the receiveron theground are of purely conventional design and are therefore not shown in the drawings. The transmitters on aircraft are equipped with various communication means operating on various frequencies, such as signals on selected frequencies, talking currents superposed on certain short waves, and C. W.'communications. It is, as a rule, desirable to operate the illumi a 4 installation merely by a definite signal on a definite frequency.

The output of the receiver 12a which picks up the frequency transmitted from the plane passes therefore from terminals l2, l3 to filter 22 which passes only a selected narrow band of frequencies as well known in the art. This frequency or frequency band passes on to a tube IS in some approved conventional connection'with said filter. This connection includes a grid coupling condenser l'l', a grid leak [8, a cathode by-pass resistor 60 and a cathode by-pass condenser 6|, but it is to be understood that any other conventional connection may be selected. The output of the tube passes through a choke coil 23 which may or may not be provided with a shunting condenser E6. Leads 81 and 82 are battery connections.

The condenser i9 couples the output of the tube to the diode or rectifier tube 5?. whose output circuit 83 includes the relay 2i].

Said relay is provided with contacts 63, 64 normally open when the relay is deenergized.

The contacts 63 and 64 control the circuit 84 of a sequence relay 2| which may be a time relay, if desired. The contacts of this relay remain closed when the relay has been energized, either permanently until a further signal is received or for a certain period of time. Relays of this type are conventional constructions usually provided with contacts operated by a cam which is actuated b the relay armature.

The relay contacts El, 58 thus remain closed after energization of the relay 2!. They control a circuit B9, 10, part of which is shown in Figure 2 and which establishes a connection between the source of power supply and the airfield illumination installation.

This circuit may'contain a switch 5!, which may be a time controlled switch in the event that the relay itself is'not time controlled. Instead of this switch or in parallel thereto a photocell con trolled circuit may be inserted at the terminals B, A which is not illustrated as it is again a conventional installation. The runway may be provided with one of those photocell switch arrangements which serves to'operate garage doors or the like, with a photocell receiving a ray of light. When the ray is intercepted by the incoming plane, the switch 5| is opened and cuts the circuit thus extinguishing the runway illumination.

The wind indicator with freezer or clutch best seen in Figures 3 to 6 consists of a vane 24 preferably in the shape of a wind stock, wind sock or wind-T; is fixed on an upright shaft 28 revolubly mounted in a fixed bearing 29 and adapted to operate the windswitch 25. This switch 26 keeps the runways to properly lighted by lamps 35 with respect to the prevailing wind and also controls the red and green lights 32, 33, respectively at the ends of each runway 30, see Figures 2 and 7.

The wind stock freezer 25, Figure 3, is an electromagnetic device or clutch which will lock the vane 24 to keep the lights burning on one of the runways cr landing strips 30 as long as the current or voltage is applied to it, that is, the lights 32, 33, 35 will remain on until the circuit is broken by the relay 2|. The runways or landing strips 30 will, therefore, remain lighted regardless of momentary wind fluctuations. gThewindstockfreezer 25, Figure 3, can'be wired parallel, in series, parallel-series, or separately to operate-its clutch or locking mechanism used in this system.

This clutch preferably consists as here shown of three disks a, 25b and 250, of which the former or top disk is firmly fixed with both the vane 24 and its shaft 28, while the bottom disk 250 is fixedly mounted as by screws and the like on top of the bearing 29, and the middle disk 25b is slidably mounted around the shaft 28. In order to prevent the middle disk from turning kneelinks 2511 are provided between disks 25b and 250.

One of the disks, preferably the upper one 250. is provided with a coil having many turns of wire so that current flowing through the coil will produce a strong magnetic field attracting the mid dle disk 25b. The wind stock or wind sock freezer 25a is an electromagnetic device or clutch which will lock the vane 24 from changing the runway lights when current is turned on. This electromagnetic device is a field coil and operates in the following manner shown on Figures 3 and 4. The field coil is attached to the shaft 28 and also to the wind vane 24. When the current is applied to this field coil by wires 1 I, I2 a powerful magnetic field is produced thus magnetizing the top disk 25a of the wind stock freezer. Disk 25b is attracted and disks 25a and 251) are locked by the interengagement of the clutch teeth 25], on their adjacent surfaces. As long as the current is on, the vane 24 will be stationary as it is locked to the fixed bearing 29 through the intermediary of the parts 28, and 25a, 25b, 25c and 25d.

In Figure 2 is shown the arrangement of the lighting arrangement for a pluralit of runways together with wiringconnections and wind indicating switch and Figure 7 a similar arrangement for a star-group of airways. A number of illuminating lights are placed in parallel rows along the sides of the runways and a red light 32 and a green light 33 provided at the ends of the runways. Proper wiring 3'! in an electric circuit is here shown for the illuminating lights 35 of each runway terminating with arcuate contact strips 38 provided in a circle of the switch box 26. ihe circuit is completed through a double or diametrical arm 39 arranged with its contact ends over said strips 33 and fixed on the revolving shaft 28 carrying the wind indicator 24 and the magnetic disk 25a which connects with the arm 35! in the switch box 26.

Similarly the red lights 32 and the green lights 33 connect by wires 40 and 4! with corresponding contact strips 42 and 43 arranged in another circle in the wind indicator switch '26 so as to be able to make contact with end of the radial arm 44 preferably placed at right angles to the diametrical arm 39.

The radially positioned runways in Figure '7 are wired and lighted in similar manner. A manual switch is indicated in the circuit at '50 which provides the ground attendants with necessary emergency control of the installation and a master switch is likewise shown at 55 therein.

While the above description explains the use of this invention primarily in connection with landing operations it will be clear that the same arrangement may be used in connection with taking off operations from an airfield. Moreover the usefulness of the system is not confined to illumination or signal systems in airfields. The dc" vice can be adapted to other uses in which a simple or multiple pre-selective operation has to be performed before the effective operation is initiated by means of remote control.

When the pilot in the aircraft approaching the landing field operates his transmitter for a short time to emit signals of the predetermined frequency, the receiver on the airdrome will be operated. It is preferable to produce an audio beat tone and to pass said beat tone through the filter to the tube It. The tube amplifies the beat tone whichwill appear across he choke 23 which forms the load device for the tube l6. Choke 23 and condenser 66 are preferably tuned to resonance with the beat note thus increasing the voltage passed on to the diode rectifier tube 52. The positive half cycles of the signal, for instance, flow through relay 20, and close contacts 63, 64. Thereby the circuit of the relay 2! is closed and this relay operates, with its contacts remaining closed after operation.

If the pilot does not want to land after having surveyed conditions, he sends a second impulse which will again operate. relay 2! but will separate the contacts now closed so that illumination ceases again.

If the pilot however does not send a second signal the lights will remain on until they are extinguished either by one of the time controlled devicesor by the photocell arrangement,

When the circuit 59, it has been closed, the D. C. circuit supply for the lights will be connected (at H, Ila) with the supply conductors 85, 86a of the fioodlights and directive lights of the runways and will therefore connect these lights with the selector. Simultaneously also coil 25 of the windstock freezer is connected across the supply wires (at I I, 12). The previously described selective operation of the lights may therefore take place.

It is to be understood that the invention as here disclosed is not limited to the details here described and shown, but that the same may be varied widely without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the subjoined claims.

. Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1.. In an automatic lighting system for airdromes and airfields having a plurality of land ing strips provided with directive head lights at the end of each strip for indicating the desirable and the undesirable direction of landing for the time being, and further provided with illuminating floodlights alongside the landing strips, a radio reception system, for operation by wave signals from a landing aircraft, a relay system, relay contacts associated therewith closed for the duration of the landing operation when the relay system has been operated initially by a signal, a wind indicator, comprising a windstock and an electrically operated windstock freezer, holding the windstock in its position for the duration of the landing operation, means for operating said freezer, a rotational double selector switch with two independently operated sets of contact strips arranged in a circle and two independent contactor arms co-operating with the two sets of contacts, the latter being adapted to be connected with the windstock, permanent connections between each of the contact strips of one contact set of the selector with the illuminating floodlights of one landing strip and permanent connections between one contact strip of the sec-, ond set with one of the directive lights at each end, and a current supply circuit for the coni nections made by the contactor arms including the contacts of the relay set closed for the duration of the landing operation.

2. In an automatic lighting system for air dromes and airfields having a plurality of landing strips provided with directive head lights at the end of each strip for indicatingthe' desirable and the undesirable direction of landing for the time being, and further providedwith illuminating floodlights alongside the landing strips, a radio reception system, for Operation by wave signals from a landing aircraft, a relay system, relay contacts associated therewith closed for the duration of the landing operation when the relay system has been operated initially by a signal, a wind indicator comprising a windstock and an electrically operated windstock freezer,

holding the windstock in its position for the duration of the landing operation, means for operating said freezer, a rotational double selector switch with two independently operated sets of contact strips arranged in a circle and two independent contactor arms co-operating with the two sets of contacts, the latter being adapted to be connected with the windstock, operative circuits for the illuminating floodlights of each contact strip, circuits including a contact strip of one selector contact set, two separate further circuits for each landing strip, each circuit including one of the directive lights at each end, to indicate simultaneously the desirable and undesirable landing direction, a further circuit including the means for operating the Windstock freezer arranged in parallel to the aforesaid circuits and a controlled current supply for all the circuits including the relay contacts closed for the duration of the landing operation.

3.. In 'a'system of the type described as specified in claim 2, a windstock freezer operating -means, including a coil, a clutch consisting of shaft, a fixed clutch member, a coil mounted in operative relation to the first named clutch memlanding purposes in accordance with prevailing wind conditions, each of said strips being provided with illuminating lights alongside the strip and with directive lights at the end of the strip, indicating the desirable and undesirable direction of landing, operative circuits for these lights, a wind indicator and a selector switch, operated by the same, the latter selecting the circuits operating the illuminating lights and those operating the directive lights, a means for energizing said selected circuits upon approach of an aircraft, comprising a radio reception apparatus,

means arranged on the aircraft for transmitting a short signal to the reception apparatus, a relay systern'connected with the latter, consisting in a relay energized by the signal and in a relay remaining operated after energization for a predetermined period of time, an operative circuit for the 'latter controlled by the first named re lay, relay contacts associated with the relay remaining operated after energization, a circuit controlled by said relay contacts, a windstock freezer, electrical means for operating the same, an operative circuit therefor, said circuit being directly connected'with the circuit operated by the above outlined relay contacts, and a power supply circuit for all the circuits above mentioned controlled by the circuit'associated with said relay contacts.

ALFRED A. CORCANGES. 

